2.75 Stars

The positives: I really enjoyed the world building and magic system, as it was pretty unique, and it was easy to follow the FMC’s magical journey. The story was relatively easy to get though and was mostly enjoyable.

I didn’t really care for the relationship between the two leads, especially the way Thorne treated her and talked to her when they first met. Yes, he went on a journey to change his views and see her as a person, which is the point of the book, but it I really disliked him in the beginning third of the book. At the end I also dislike the way he kept leaving her and not apologizing or really changing his behavior, when she’s expressed her fear of abandonment. I know he’s also dealing with the lies he’s believed his whole life but if they can’t properly communicate, it’s not a good foundation for a relationship.

The story started out a bit slow and I did feel the end was a little rushed. The final battle at the end and the aftermath felt like it ended and was “solved” so quickly. The ending also left me unsatisfied. I’m assuming the villain getting away and her new “job” at the end left the story open to have a sequel, but the story arcs of the main character felt completed for now and I was unsatisfied with how the villainous characters didn’t really face any consequences. Willow seemingly got away and she’s she was banished but it kinda felt like “that’s it? No other on-page consequences?” And don’t get me started on Jett. The way she mistreated the golems, especially Brick annoyed me to no end, especially when Marina was supposed to somewhat be her friend she has no qualms about her cruelty and mistreatment of the people she got to know at school. I would of loved to she her get to know Brick and change her mindset like Thorne, but she was cruel and bitter until the end. The dismissal that she was lied to by Willow, so that makes it okay for her to still have her position at the Guild and face no consequences for her mistreatment left a bitter taste in my mouth. I understand the author is trying to say that we should give people the benefit of the doubt to learn and change for the better, but unlike Quill or Thorne, Jett’s character had no actual growth or repentance to make getting away unscathed be a satisfying ending.

Thank you to Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Woven From Clay is a great standalone fantasy novel following a senior in high school as she navigates her newfound life as a golem and the coven trying to destroy her maker. I really enjoyed the fantasy aspect of the story. This was a fun intro to fantasy for beginners.

Thank you to the publisher for the e-copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A teenage golem who doesn't know she is a golem. This is an awesome interpretation of Jewish myth and the author did a fantastic job of weaving the story together

woven from clay
rating: ⭐️3.5

🍰 ARC provided by @netgalley 🍰

this story follows a teenage golem who is unaware that she is a golem and a MMC witch bounty hunter searching for the warlock who created her. if the warlock who created her dies, so does she. she’s on a journey to save her creator and her own life and finds an unlikely ally on the way.

it’s a unique story and i’ve definitely never read a book with a golem main character! i really loved its concept but i found that the book had quite a bit of dullness to it. i wanted more action and drama and i felt myself dragging myself through the book at times. then of course, there was good parts too, parts that were so good it fueled me through the rougher ones. i think the writing style didn’t align with my form of reading and it maybe even felt a little too juvenile for me in its style. there was too many cliche/overused characters and plot points that i know sells nowadays but also makes a unique story like this watered down with what is in every other book.

overall, i did still enjoy this book. there was some good moral dilemmas to think about & some surprises that i didn’t expect. i would still recommend it as i think it is a pretty unique concept i would like to see more of!

I really enjoyed this book! It's definitely targeted towards younger teens, but I can see young adult readers and new adult readers (like me) still having a fantastic time in this story! I appreciated how we were thrown into this world. While the writing at the beginning felt short and awkward to me, I contribute that to the fact that this is a book targeting younger readers, and I'm using to the sentence structures in adult fiction. It took a minute go get used to the more concise writing style, but I was able to get past it pretty quickly.

Here's a quick plot overview with no ending spoilers! Terra is a high school girl who lives a pretty mundane life. She meets a stranger who tells her she's a golem. It quickly goes from a low-stakes high school story to a high-stakes (at least for a YA/teen book) that involves saving her community from a warlock. There is MAGIC (Jennifer does a great job at creating a unique magic system), LOVE, FAMILY, and FRIENDS that come together to create a truly immersive story.

Overall, this book was engaging and captured my interest. I love a fantasy that dives right into the plot, and this one did just that while leaving room for a potential sequel (please Jennifer Birch, give us a sequel!!). Because the main character learns about the magical world as the book progresses, we as the readers follow that same path - making discoveries along side Terra. I gave this 4 out of 5 stars, but I think if I was reading this as a teenager it would have been a 5-star read for me. Reading it as an adult, the shorter sentence structure took some time to adjust to and also the romance could have been flushed out a bit more, but that could also just be my preference! ARC received by Net Galley.

What a delightful read! I thoroughly enjoyed this YA Fantasy.

Let's start with the MCs. I really felt like Terra's thoughts/reactions were super believable. Like, a normal person in her situation would 100% react the same way! Also, the first person POV was so perfect for this story as getting to read all of Terra's thoughts was very immersive, to the point that I was feeling the same way as her for most of the book! I got nervous, excited, angry at certain characters, confused, surprised, hopeless/hopeful and, overall, very invested in the story. I liked Thorne as a character and seeing his growth was very cathartic. I am super excited to see more of his story if there is a future book!

The magic system was SO cool. Not only is it incredibly creative (I mean, how do you even come up with that?), but it is implemented into the story seamlessly. Not ever feeling clunky or forced, rather, the magic system is essential to the plot and we get to understand more and more of it as Terra does too. I thought the descriptions of the witches using their magic was so neat and so vivid 10/10 magic system.

The plot was great to me. I liked how Terra was understandably apprehensive (and maybe a bit repulsed) when she first learns what she really is, but it was so sweet to watch her slowly come to embrace and love who she is and how many of her friends also being golems helped shape her view of herself. Great themes of believing in yourself, standing up for what's right, and doing the hard thing. Really looking forward to more in this series!

I appreciate that this was a true YA book with no spicy content at all.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me the ARC ebook.

The book was so sweet and perfectly YA. Usually in fantasy books the main characters are oddly overpowered. I loved how it changed in this book. Talent may not be genius but sometimes we don't have to be a genius to win and be successful. The book showed how everyone is important and has the right to live. Loved it.

I love Golem stories but this...ain't it. Somehow the author managed to write a Golem story while stripping all of the integral Jewish elements from it.

the magic system was so innovative and unique, but everything else was kind of dull. it's very emblematic of early - mid-2010s ya supernatural romance. a "dark" and "mysterious" guy shows up to the fmc's high school and starts yelling at her, "tell me what you know!!" and she's like, "i have no idea what you're talking about." then it turns out he's from a magical and/or secret society and she's the missing key to solving some prophecy or crime, and she's been hiding her entire life et cetera et cetera. he's a brooding dark antihero (sort of) with a secret soft spot. she's a good girl whose entire being is kindness and light. it's overdone, to say the least.

i didn't like how their relationship formed either—he's very pushy and aggressive when they first meet, and she's always thanking him for the most miniscule things. the scene where she finds out she's a golem, and he's literally walking through her is so creepy and violating to read. and then the first 30% is entirely miscommunication. i can tolerate a little stupidity, but she's been telling him for one-third of the book that she doesn't know what he's looking for!! one-third!! the big reveal that she's a golem takes place at one-third of the book!! the plot doesn't get any better after the reveal, either. i know people have always complained about fantasy characters that randomly become powerful with no training, but this is the other side of that coin, and it's equally aggravating. the rest of the book is her learning to control her powers, her learning to love her golem-y aspects, and her loving her family/community. there is very little action, with the exception of a single explosive confrontation taking place near the end.

also, i want to talk about jett. she's as archetypal as anyone else, but i naturally gravitate towards ambitious, powerful female characters. she was probably my favorite, but then her entire character was ruined with the "she's in love with thorne" thing. she was so interesting, but of course, she had to be reduced down to being a jealous bitch. is it so hard to leave cunty women alone...

anyway, this is three stars for the worldbuilding, one star for everything else.

I loved Woven from Clay. This captivating contemporary fantasy intertwines themes of identity, belonging, and self-discovery. The story follows Terra Slater, a high school senior whose life takes an unexpected turn when she discovers she is a golem—crafted from mud and magic by close friend of the family, much loved community member and warlock, Cyrus Quill.

This tale breathes new life into the golem mythos. The narrative is heartfelt and emotional, offering a profound exploration of what it means to be human through Terra's journey. As she struggles with her newfound identity and the revelation of her origins, readers are invited into the emotional turmoil and questions of friendships and family. The "who am I, where do I fit in?" plus magic! Count me in.

The character development is delightful and believable. Terra's evolution from an ordinary teenager to someone who must master the magic that binds her is portrayed with real angst and authenticity. Her relationship with Thorne Wilder, the mysterious boy sent to ensure her demise, adds higher levels to the average teen age relationship. Their alliance is at times tense but often comes with unexpected camaraderie, and eventually an unexpected but compelling partnership with Terra's very existence hanging in the balance! The plot is well-paced, and had me coming back for more every chance I got.

In summary, Woven from Clay is a poignant and enchanting tale that dives into themes of identity and self-acceptance. Jennifer Birch has crafted a narrative that is both thought-provoking and entertaining, that I say is a must-read for fans of contemporary fantasy.

Woven From Clay is a poetic, emotional journey about self-discovery and cultural identity. Birch’s writing is lyrical and deeply moving, making it a standout read.

Solidly 4/5. I enjoyed the plot- read the book thing in one sitting. It's a page turner, and very enjoyable, though the plot twists were somewhat predictable.

It's a very solid YA book. Likable main characters, interesting magic system, compelling plot and good character growth. I thought the magic was very smart and I loved finding out how it worked. I loved how all the golem kids had earth-themed names from different cultures although it made who was a golem little bit predictable.

I honestly hope there's a sequel. I feel like Terra's story is far from over and I would love to see how she is doing. She was my favorite part of the book. I felt like she was such a 3-dimensional character and I really rooted for her.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I absolutely love and adore Terra Slater. And Thorne was the perfect counterpart to her adventure. Golems. What a new experience in the mythical/fantasy realm of literature. The plot and story were so well written and the ending felt complete but also gave chance that if there was more Jenny wanted to write she could expand on the story which I truly appreciated.

Terra is a senior in high school who is a rule follower and had her whole life plotted out. That was, until she ran into Thorne, literally, and then her whole world and what she thought was to be true was so far from reality. I loved themes of balancing between good and evil. The foundation of how the golems were created. I was partial to Mr. Quill and I found myself embracing the strength Terra found in each of her trials and faces of adversity. I really enjoyed this story and I’m grateful to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for granting me this ARC!

Thank you NetGalley for the eGalley of Woven from Clay. I crossed my fingers and toes to receive this ARC!
I love a fantasy that brings something new to the table and an author that knows how to focus on character growth. Woven from Clay did both for me. While the book was a little slow paced for me at times, this would 100% be a book I put into one of my high school students hands. The characters are likeable, it is about friendships and growth, and the magical world is not difficult to follow.

Woven From Clay is a fantasy book for young adult readers, written by Jennifer Birch. It revolves around the story of Terra Slater, the adopted daughter of a family that lives in North Heights. She lives the normal life of a senior in high school, hanging out with friends and enjoying the last year of school, until a mysteriously handsome boy starts his first day at school. Thorne Wilder thrusts Terra into a world of magic she had never known before. Only, she is the answer to finding the one thing Thorne needs, and it might just kill her.

I came into this book not sure how I would feel about it. It started off kind of slow and seemed to be targeting younger teens, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It just had a simplicity about it. After about the eighth chapter, though, was when things started to take off and the stakes of what Terra had to do came into focus. The conflict gave Terra a purpose. Her normal life had purpose, but it was mundane. Now it was on a larger scale. In her normal life, she cared about the people of her town, helping them with projects or babysitting for different families. By the middle of the book, she was guarding their lives. Even when they didn’t know it, Terra was motivated to love them. So often, we are never seen doing the things for the people that we love most. Just like in the book, the strings that connect every Golem to each other hold them together. In our lives, our love connects each one of us to the people we care about.

The book started slowly, as I mentioned, but it soon picked up, and I was completely devoted to how the story would turn out. I was not disappointed. The ending left room for a sequel that I would more than happily read, and it left me satisfied. The prose was perfect for younger readers and didn’t use words that I did not understand, yet the words still held emotion.

I didn’t like one thing about the book. The magic system didn’t have any real consequences besides fatigue. Which, in itself, isn’t bad, but the powers that they had weren't equal to the cost of those powers. Besides a few Honey Buns or sodas that they used to replenish their energy.

Overall, I would highly rate this book a 4.2 out of 5. It did leave me wanting at the beginning but soon delivered with a great story that left me thinking about it for a while after.

Jennifer Birch has crafted something truly special in Woven From Clay. The story centers around Terra Slater, a high school senior who knows she was adopted by loving parents, just like many others in her town. However, she knows nothing about her birth parents. As her senior year begins, Terra's life takes a dramatic turn with the arrival of a new student, Thorne Wilder.

The twist is that Terra is a golem created by a warlock named Cyrus Quill. Quill, wanted for his magical crimes, is in hiding, and Terra's life is intricately tied to his fate. Terra embarks on a quest to uncover the truths about her origins and the secrets those around her are desperate to keep hidden. With unexpected help from Thorne, who comes to see her humanity over time, Terra learns to harness her magic and prove her worth to the witches.

The story does a phenomenal job of exploring identity, self-worth, and purpose. The magic system is unique and intricately developed, adding depth to the world-building. I absolutely loved the character development and the journey of self-discovery that Terra undergoes. Birch's writing is impressive, and the overall story is engaging and filled with suspense, magic, and secrets.

I was easily engrossed in the story and found the ending to be satisfying. I appreciated how Terra realized her inherent power and that she was crafted for good. The way she grows, discovers her identity, and impacts those around her was beautifully portrayed. If you're a fan of YA fantasy, Woven From Clay is a must-read. The adventure, character growth, and unique magic system will keep you hooked from start to finish.

Why Woven From Clay by Jennifer Birch should be on your TBR!

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

What happens when you mix a love triangle, warlock magic, and a kind-hearted protagonist? Woven From Clay by Jennifer Birch is an imaginative YA Fantasy book.

Terra is excited to finish her last year of high school in her small town when a mysterious stranger upends her world by revealing who/what she is—a golem made from dirt and magic. After discovering that she and others from her town are magically tied to a doomed warlock, Terra desperately tries to save the fate of herself and her friends.

I loved this coming-of-age YA Fantasy; the characters were relatable and dynamic as they embarked on their journey through the magical world. Birch writes an engaging book that will relate to magic lovers. I liked that this novel focused mainly on the mystical elements. There is also a subplot, such as a love triangle, that adds to the relatability of the book. I loved the author’s focus on atonement, forgiveness, and what it means to be family.

While I understand that we are learning about magic with the main character, I wish the book explored a little more on the magical aspects of the world. The climax was action-packed, bittersweet, and heartbreaking.

This bittersweet book speaks to the human experience of discovering who you are and what it means to be a family.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for sending this book for review. All opinions are my own.

Senior year ends up quite different than Terra Slater expects when a mysterious, magical boy shows up in town. He turns her world upside down, revealing to her that there is more to her than she knows. She’s a golem, made by a warlock on the run. Hoping to save herself and the other golems she discovers, Terra makes a bargain. She will have to train in magic and find her maker if she has any hopes of surviving.

This was an interesting book! I loved the concept and seeing golems in a contemporary setting as more than just emotionless, clay beings. I found it hard to put down, finishing it in less than a day.

I really enjoyed the magic and how Terra learned to embrace the clay part of her. Like any teenager, she doubted herself many times, but despite it, she came out stronger each time. Thorne was quite the character too, evolving in his own way, discovering his own history.

If you like magic and contemporary fantasy that’s refreshing and different, definitely try this book on for size.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books for the chance to read this compelling arc!

this is one of the better fantasies i’ve picked up lately!!! finally rich with world building, birch created a realm i was invested in by chapter one and i adore these characters so much!!! like, i need to hop back in this book asap rocky and revisit what i just experienced…solid stuff!!

I enjoyed the concept of the book since it’s not a typical fantasy story with fairies or dragons. Unfortunately the writing style is so young even though the characters are seniors in high school (which you’re reminded about often). This book is definitely meant for young readers (14 max). I wish the writing was more mature to match the age of the characters and give the story some more depth.